The Irrationality of Faith: Podcast Episode 3 Manuscript

In the middle ages, Anselm of Canterbury called theology, "faith seeking understanding."

This locution further cemented what was already the prevailing Phronema in Western Christianity at the time, namely, that Faith must be reasonable. Following St Augustine's synergism of philosophy and logic with the Christian Faith, Aquinas and Anselm, further contributed to the idea that Faith must be rational. That is, that faith must be able to be explained in logical terms. This idea in western Christianity has led to a continuing need to define aspects of the Christian faith to the umpteenth degree.

This is a problem.

When we take weighty matters of theology and try to define them so precisely, we inevitably will continue into the realm of speculation. Speculating about God and unknown matters is one thing. Calling speculative theology dogma is entirely different - but that is precisely what happens in a "faith and reason" based Christianity.

We tend to take an incorrect belief or immoral action as a sign that one simply needs to correct their faculty of reason - to know more information and come to a better conclusion - rather than seek to reform the soul. We are inevitably creating intellectual assent Christians rather than Christians whose hearts and souls have been transformed by a life in Christ.

Christianity is not just another philosophy or a set of beliefs requiring mental assent. Christianity is THE WAY. The way to live our entire lives. Not just what to believe - but how to act based on that belief.

Dr. Jeannie Constantinou, in her book "Thinking Orthodox" points out something I have long noticed and have been unable to articulate. In much of Protestant Christianity there is a sense of longing that is unquenched. The Protestant philosophy is one based on legalism. There is a debt to God that needs paid...a punishment for sins... both our own and Adams. Christ dies as a substitute so that God need not punish us. We graft into that life by mental assent, or proclaiming Christ as savior - that is - by verbal acceptance. That acceptance, however, is passive because when God gives a gift it cannot be rejected. It is impressed upon the life of the believer. The grafting into the life of Christ changes the legal status from guilty to not guilty. And that is all. No real transformation of life is necessary. The believer is left passive and, in fact, if he tries to add to the grace of God received as a gift of faith he would be nullifying the grace of God. So what happens? Many people feel trapped in their sin. "If I am in Christ how is it that I am still such a sinner? I should not be dealing with the same sin!" Yet they are. They are because there is no actual way to deal with the guiilt and shame of the sin they continue to commit. The desire is for deep spiritual transformation and it does not come because Protestant Christianity is based on a legal status change... not a real change.

Why bring this up here? It is precisely because the reason this Legalism Christianity is believed in the west, albeit different emphasis in Roman Catholicism, is because it is the only mechanism that makes sense. Christianity, again, is looked at as something that has to make sense.

But what do we actually see in the Gospels?

We see Jesus forgiving without recompense. We see, in the parable of the talents, the king simply forgives the debt without requiring ANYONE to pay the debt. We see Jesus tell the woman to be stoned, "go and sin no more" as He forgives, and not condemns.

God is not bound by reason and logic. Faith does not have to be reasonable. If we have a mechanism that is perfectly logical and explains all of the points of doctrine we can be sure we have something wrong. Faith is not meant for our understanding but for our living.

A life in Christ is not one that analyzes everything for the finest point of theology so that our intellect is stimulated - as though God is an excel spreadsheet.

The life in Christ is one that is a painting on the canvas of our souls. We are not simply forgiven and have a legal status change - but we are transformed by the Grace of God.

I urge us all to not attempt to understand the Christian life - but to live it. If you can define the Trinity and have perfect understanding and don't have love - it is of no avail.

The saints are saints because of their lives - not because of their reason or understanding of theological truths. Faith is not meant to be rational - it is meant to be real.

People are not transformed by doctrine and better logic. People are transformed, and urged to transform, in community living an authentic life in Christ.

I pray that for my own soul and for yours. That we see the Christian faith as a way to live within the guard rails of the Church of Christ rather than a tight tope of doctrines that has to be carefully walked. LIVE and rejoice in Christ.